Red Sox blasts sink Yanks

Sizemore's 3-run home run, solo shot by Gomes are enough to hold off New York

Associated Press

Associated Press

Published 12:03 am, Saturday, April 12, 2014

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: Grady Sizemore #38 of the Boston Red Sox hits a three run home run against CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees in the sixth inning during their game at Yankee Stadium on April 11, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 477579945

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: Grady Sizemore #38 of the Boston Red Sox...

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees reacts after giving up a three run home run to Grady Sizemore #38 of the Boston Red Sox in the sixth inning during their game at Yankee Stadium on April 11, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 477579945

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: CC Sabathia #52 of the New York Yankees...

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 11: Jon Lester #31 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees during their game at Yankee Stadium on April 11, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 477579945

"Good to have a rally there in that inning," Sizemore said. "We've kind of struggled with Jon on the mound. It's nice to pick him up and get some runs for him."

It wasn't all positive news for Boston in its first win this season over the rival Yankees. Closer Koji Uehara was held out of the game because he had some right shoulder stiffness when throwing during pregame warmups. Manager John Farrell used Edward Mujica in the ninth instead of the 39-year-old Uehara as a precaution.

"We felt it was best to stay away from him," Farrell said. "It'll be a day-to-day thing."

Jonny Gomes led off the sixth with another long ball off Sabathia, and the four-run inning was more runs than Boston had scored for Lester in his first two starts combined (one).

The left-hander was lifted with two outs in the seventh after Kelly Johnson singled to pull the Yankees within two runs, his first hit in 15 career at-bats against Lester (1-2). Junichi Tazawa relieved with runners at the corners and retired Derek Jeter on a flyout.

Jeter hit leadoff for the Yankees for the first time since breaking his left ankle in the 2012 AL Championship Series opener. He beat out an infield single in four at-bats.

Lester allowed Alfonso Soriano's homer starting the second and six hits overall. He walked two and struck out six in improving to 12-5 in 27 starts against New York.

"I don't feel like I threw the ball as well the first two, but sometimes you need games like this to appreciate the ones where you glide through," Lester said. "This was a little bit of a grinder."

Sabathia (1-2) pitched without the controversy that surrounded teammate Michael Pineda in a series-opening 4-1 win Thursday but also without the success. Pineda gave up one run and four hits in six-plus innings but was caught on camera with a brown substance on his hand. Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's executive vice president for baseball operations, said in a statement Friday that Pineda will not be suspended.

Looking as if he was setting aside talk of being an ace on the decline, Sabathia was dominant for five innings. He allowed just David Ross' third-inning double until Gomes led off the sixth with his first homer of the year, on an 89 mph four-seam fastball. Four batters later, Sizemore crushed an 80 mph slider into right field for a 4-1 lead.

The duo were teammates in Cleveland before Sabathia was traded to Milwaukee during the 2008 season.

"You go out and compete, even against friends," Sabathia said. "Tonight he got the best of me."

Sabathia allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings, striking out nine and walking two. He's given up at least four runs in each of his three starts and has a 6.63 ERA.